1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to water conservation in water closets, and more particularly to devices which automatically flush water closets.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Many parts of the United States and other countries are facing severe water shortages. Water restrictions and rationing are becoming commonplace in many areas. Some communities have even imposed outright bans on lawn-watering, car washing, and other non-critical water-utilizing activities. These shortages have raised a number of questions about current water usage practices. One of these questions concerns water closet usage.
The standard tank-type water closet utilizes approximately 3.5 to 7.0 gallons of water for each flush. As such, it is a major consumer of fresh water in homes and commercial establishments. Conservation of the water usage of this appliance can have a significant impact on the overall water problem in many areas. As such, improvements on the water closet which minimize water usage with each flush are both socially desirable and economically viable. One way to minimize water usage is to provide flushes of various lengths depending on the contents to be purged from the water closet.
Prior art discloses such water closets. In a prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,886 to Barrett, Sr. et al. (1990), a system was disclosed for controlling the flow of a liquid from a liquid pressure line for flushing a toilet bowl. The device included a valve interconnecting the liquid pressure line and the toilet bowl. An electrical control generated a first and second timer period with the second timer period being longer in duration than the first timer period. The electrical control was connected to the valve for opening the valve for the first timer period for flushing a liquid waste from the toilet bowl and for opening the valve for the second timer period for flushing a solid waste from the toilet bowl.
This and similar devices significantly enhance the cause of water conservation by allowing the user to select a short flush when only a liquid waste is to be removed, and to select a longer flush when a solid waste is to be removed. However, these devices do not flush the water closet automatically. The user must manually actuate the flush mechanism. Automatic flushing can provide many advantages.
As the population of the country ages, many people encounter difficulty in performing routine functions which had previously been considered simple and convenient. While flushing a standard water closet by depressing the conventional handle may be considered a minimal-effort task by most, it can be difficult for those infirm or with limited mobility. Automatic flushing offers greater convenience by flushing automatically after each use, thus assisting those people and others by relieving them of that effort. Additionally, a water closet which flushes automatically increases sanitation by insuring that the water closet will be flushed after each use. This is especially useful in public facilities which experience frequent use.
The prior art has used sensors for the automatic sensing of the presence of a person. For example, a wall-mounted sensor has been placed in the proximity of a urinal. The wall mounted sensor senses the presence of the person in front of the sensor, and flushes the urinal when the person departs. This prior art device greatly enhanced the convenience and sanitation associated with the use of these fixtures. However, this prior art device did not offer variable flush lengths for conserving water, and did not distinguish between various conditions under which various flush lengths would be desired.
Another way to reduce water usage is by use of pressure type water closets in place of the gravity or tank-type water closets. The pressure-type units utilize higher water pressure than the tank-type units, thus requiring less water to purge the water closet of the contents. Further, a high pressure flush is more effective in cleaning solid material in the water closet, resulting in a more sanitary and aesthetically pleasing condition. Some communities are now beginning to mandate through legislation the use of pressure-type water closets in place of tank-type water closets. As such, it is highly desirable to incorporate pressure-type water closets in any water conservation device. As such, it is further necessary to adapt the pressure-type water closets so that the pressure-type water closets can be widely and conveniently used.
One disadvantage of the pressure-type water closets is that the pressure-type water closets require a fixed minimal water pressure and water volume to operate effectively. Due to the low water pressure of a local water system, or due to the small pipe size supplying water to a particular location, the water pressure and water volume at a water closet may be insufficient to operate a pressure-type system. As such, features such as a pressurized water reservoir to enhance the water flow into the water closet are needed to overcome this problem.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved flushing system which both minimizes water usage on each flush thereby conserving water, and does so automatically such that no user intervention is required.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved flushing system which detects and distinguishes between a liquid waste and a solid waste and which removes the waste automatically with a minimal amount of water.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved flushing system which automatically flushes a water closet with water, providing greater convenience to the user, and increased sanitation due to the assurance that the water closet will be flushed after each use.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved flushing system which provides a higher pressure flush which is more effective in cleaning solid material in the water closet, resulting in a more sanitary and aesthetically pleasing condition.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved flushing system for enhancing the flow of water into the water closet in those locations where low water pressure conditions exist.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.